Silverado track and field trio commits to colleges

Lamoni, Iowa, the home of Graceland University, sits just north of the Iowa-Missouri border. It is surrounded by nothing, and its website is currently promoting a trail clean-up and a new bench.

This is where Silverado track and field athletes Cole Mathews and Alisha Byrd will be spending the next four years of their lives. The two Hawks recently signed with Graceland in the same ceremony that high school teammate Carlos Lizama signed with conference rival William Penn University to compete in track and cross country.

Despite the small-town setting (or perhaps because of it), Mathews and Byrd are excited to move away from California and start the next chapter of their lives on the blue track at Graceland.

"I wanted to get away from California and try a different environment" Mathews said. "It could be a bit of a culture shock at first, but I'm excited."

Byrd said she is nervous that she will be so far away from her family, but that she is also excited and will always be able to visit home during winter and summer breaks.

Byrd will have plenty to do to keep herself busy during the school year. She said she plans on competing in the heptathlon, which means she'll be participating in hurdles, sprints, jumps and javelin, among other events. She also said she would compete in the relays and pole vault.

"What stood out about Graceland was the atmosphere," said Byrd, who was also considering Lindenwood University, St. Louis University and William Penn. "The Graceland coach came to visit (Silverado), and that's what got me interested."

Matthews also said the visit by Graceland head coach Daniel Alvarado played a key role in his signing at the small NAIA school.

"I was planning on going to Riverside City College," Mathews said. "But the opportunity presented itself with Graceland ... the coaches came to (Silverado) and talked to the track team and then to me. It went really smoothly."

Alvarado is the former William Penn coach, and he was there when Silverado coach Corey Allen competed there.

Mathews said he will continue to compete in pole vault while at Graceland. The former Silverado quarterback said he may attempt to walk on to the football team too, but that he would like to focus on pole vault his first year and would consider going out for football in his sophomore or junior year.

Lamoni may be very far away from home, but Mathews and Byrd will be able to keep each other company while they adjust to the new environment.

Mathews said having Byrd as a teammate will be "a little bit of a security blanket."

"Even if I don't get to know all of the members of the team righ away, I still have someone I can talk to," he said. "It's nice knowing she'll be there for me to hang out and train with."